Ever Wonder Why You Sweat?

Did you know that we have over 5 million sweat glands all over our body? We sweat for many different reasons such as anxiety, stress, physical activity, and illness. Anything that can cause a rise in your adrenaline can impact perspiration. Whether you are eating spicy foods or accidentally walked into a sliding glass door, your body is going to naturally react.

Sweat Facts

The truth is that sweat does not smell. Sweat begins to smell when it mixes with the bacteria on our skin. The longer sweat sits on your skin, the smellier it gets.

In Louisiana, we experience extreme heat where the index can easily surpass 100 degrees. When that happens, it is possible to sweat up to three pints per hour. Sweat is mainly made up of water, potassium and salt. In the summer months, drink lots of fluid so you can stay hydrated.

Natural Air Conditioning System

We usually sweat because our body temperature is rising. When this happens, our brain sends out signals that the body needs to cool off. How much you sweat during workouts depends on how conditioned you are. People that are normally sedentary tend to heat up faster during workouts and often sweat more. People that are overweight tend to sweat more because body fat acts as an insulator causing the core body temperature rise faster.

What Are You Drinking?

Caffeine can cause an increase in perspiration. If you want to sweat less, you may want to consider drinking less coffee, tea or soda’s. Caffeine speeds us up and alcohol slows us down. Alcohol also makes you sweat more. When you drink alcohol, the blood vessels near the skin enlarge which is a sign of physical activity. Physical activity leads to sweating.

We tend to get embraced by armpit stains or sweat stains on the back of our t-shirts. Sweating is a vital function of our body. When you are sweating your body is performing some type of maintenance to keep you healthy. When you start to sweat, pay attention and listen to what your body is telling you.